Putnam took in $38.3 million in sales taxes in the third quarter, higher than the $36.8 million it had anticipated. The county expects to exceed its projection of $49.8 million by year’s end.

Sales tax revenues in Westchester were $411.1 million through last month, greater than the $403.1 million it took in during the same period last year. Rockland expects to bring in $170 million, about the same as last year, officials said.

“The sales tax is extremely important to Westchester County government, as well as our local governments that either impose a sales tax of their own (like) Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle, or share in a small piece of the county’s overall sales tax,” county spokeswoman Donna Greene said. “For 2013, the county’s sales tax represents about 28 percent of all revenue – more than we expect from the federal and state government and just 4 percentage points below property tax.”

Dwight R. Worley has covered the politicians, educators, activists, businesses, developers and residents of the Lower Hudson Valley for more than a decade. As a reporter and data analyst on the newspaper's Tax Watch Team, Dwight keeps a sharp eye on local taxes, budgets and spending. Dwight has worked on the projects team as a computer- assisted reporting expert. That experience is handy on the Tax Watch Team, as is his master's degree in computer science from Pace University.